Is Gatsby Great?
Subject: English III
Topic: Wrapping Up The Great Gatsby
Title of Lesson: “Is Gatsby Great”
Partially based on title testing activity from p. 135 Bridging English, 5th Edition.
Objectives:
Students will:
1. Write an in-class essay discussing the importance and effectiveness of the title in The Great Gatsby. (W 11-12 #9)
2. Respond to the novel by graphically representing the novel’s main ideas through creation of alternate cover art. (W 11-12 #6)
Purpose:
Now that the students have finished reading The Great Gatsby, this lesson will provide a chance to look back over the book as a whole. By writing about the title of the novel, the students will hopefully gain an appreciation for how important a title is to the overall impact of a novel. Also, creating cover art for Gatsby will necessitate that the students boil down what they know about the novel into a clear, concise image.
Materials:
The Great Gatsby
Colored Pencils
Paper
Laptop/Tablet (optional)
Procedures:
Procedures for Introducing the Lesson: To begin the lesson, the students will have approximately 30 minutes to complete a writing exercise based on the attached prompt (30 minutes).
Procedures for Developing the Lesson: In groups of four, the students will consider and discuss, first as a group, then as a whole class, the following prompt: One of the most lasting images associated with The Great Gatsby is Francis Cugat’s “Celestial Eyes,” which has been used as the cover art for The Great Gatsby since its initial publication in 1925. This painting actually precedes The Great Gatsby and Fitzgerald mentions that the painting is “written into” his novel. What are some ways in which you see the painting’s influence in the novel? (15 minutes). Next, the students will continue their study of the novel’s visual aspects by individually creating an alternative piece of cover art. The new cover can be in any form (drawing, Glogster, Dabbleboard, etc) and should capture a major thematic aspect of the novel, but doesn’t have to be a masterpiece (30 minutes).
Procedures for Concluding the Lesson: To conclude the study of the novel, I will invite the students to speak openly about the novel, asking about anything they particularly liked or disliked about the novel. These insights would be very useful for the next time teaching this unit.
Evaluating/Assessing the Learning:
During the lesson: The students’ alternative cover art will be graded on the basis of completion. They will then be posted on the classroom walls or on this site, depending on the format.
After the lesson: The in-class writing assignments will be graded according to the method on the prompt.
The Great Gatsby In-Class Writing Assignment
Adapted from NEA Teacher’s Guide http://www.neabigread.org/books/greatgatsby/teachersguide04.php
Now that you have finished The Great Gatsby, it is useful to consider the novel’s title.
Originally titled On the Road to West Egg, then Trimalchio, then Under the Red White and Blue or Gold-Hatted Gatsby, Fitzgerald had difficulty settling on his title. For this assignment, address the following questions:
1. Does The Great Gatsby work as the novel’s title? What does it add, or subtract, from the overall meaning of the work? Provide examples to back up your opinions.
2. Create an alternate title for the novel, with explanation as to why you picked the title. What does the new title bring to the table that the original does not?
Your response should be at least 2 paragraphs long, but don’t feel compelled to stop there. You will have 30 minutes to respond to the question as fully as possible. Use your copy of The Great Gatsby, if necessary, to refer to specific moments in the text.
Your response will be graded on how fully and thoughtfully you address the prompt. The quality of your evidence for Question #1 will also be considered in the grade.
Subject: English III
Topic: Wrapping Up The Great Gatsby
Title of Lesson: “Is Gatsby Great”
Partially based on title testing activity from p. 135 Bridging English, 5th Edition.
Objectives:
Students will:
1. Write an in-class essay discussing the importance and effectiveness of the title in The Great Gatsby. (W 11-12 #9)
2. Respond to the novel by graphically representing the novel’s main ideas through creation of alternate cover art. (W 11-12 #6)
Purpose:
Now that the students have finished reading The Great Gatsby, this lesson will provide a chance to look back over the book as a whole. By writing about the title of the novel, the students will hopefully gain an appreciation for how important a title is to the overall impact of a novel. Also, creating cover art for Gatsby will necessitate that the students boil down what they know about the novel into a clear, concise image.
Materials:
The Great Gatsby
Colored Pencils
Paper
Laptop/Tablet (optional)
Procedures:
Procedures for Introducing the Lesson: To begin the lesson, the students will have approximately 30 minutes to complete a writing exercise based on the attached prompt (30 minutes).
Procedures for Developing the Lesson: In groups of four, the students will consider and discuss, first as a group, then as a whole class, the following prompt: One of the most lasting images associated with The Great Gatsby is Francis Cugat’s “Celestial Eyes,” which has been used as the cover art for The Great Gatsby since its initial publication in 1925. This painting actually precedes The Great Gatsby and Fitzgerald mentions that the painting is “written into” his novel. What are some ways in which you see the painting’s influence in the novel? (15 minutes). Next, the students will continue their study of the novel’s visual aspects by individually creating an alternative piece of cover art. The new cover can be in any form (drawing, Glogster, Dabbleboard, etc) and should capture a major thematic aspect of the novel, but doesn’t have to be a masterpiece (30 minutes).
Procedures for Concluding the Lesson: To conclude the study of the novel, I will invite the students to speak openly about the novel, asking about anything they particularly liked or disliked about the novel. These insights would be very useful for the next time teaching this unit.
Evaluating/Assessing the Learning:
During the lesson: The students’ alternative cover art will be graded on the basis of completion. They will then be posted on the classroom walls or on this site, depending on the format.
After the lesson: The in-class writing assignments will be graded according to the method on the prompt.
The Great Gatsby In-Class Writing Assignment
Adapted from NEA Teacher’s Guide http://www.neabigread.org/books/greatgatsby/teachersguide04.php
Now that you have finished The Great Gatsby, it is useful to consider the novel’s title.
Originally titled On the Road to West Egg, then Trimalchio, then Under the Red White and Blue or Gold-Hatted Gatsby, Fitzgerald had difficulty settling on his title. For this assignment, address the following questions:
1. Does The Great Gatsby work as the novel’s title? What does it add, or subtract, from the overall meaning of the work? Provide examples to back up your opinions.
2. Create an alternate title for the novel, with explanation as to why you picked the title. What does the new title bring to the table that the original does not?
Your response should be at least 2 paragraphs long, but don’t feel compelled to stop there. You will have 30 minutes to respond to the question as fully as possible. Use your copy of The Great Gatsby, if necessary, to refer to specific moments in the text.
Your response will be graded on how fully and thoughtfully you address the prompt. The quality of your evidence for Question #1 will also be considered in the grade.